April 23, 2014
Bedsores are a serious problem in nursing homes, especially for residents who have limited mobility. Thankfully, there are a variety of special mattresses and cushions available to help prevent and manage pressure ulcers.
If your loved one’s nursing home failed to provide these and other safeguards, our Evanston nursing home abuse lawyer can seek compensation for the preventable pain and suffering caused by lack of ulcer protection.
What Are Bedsores, and How Can Mattresses Help Prevent Them?
Bedsores, also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers, happen when a portion of the skin is subjected to pressure or friction for an extended period of time. These wounds are most likely to appear on bony areas like the heels, hips, and ankles.
Bedsores can be extremely painful and, if left untreated, lead to dangerous complications like infections. Inadequate care can quickly lead to the development of pressure ulcers, so it is vital that your loved one’s nursing home take appropriate steps to promptly detect bedsores and prevent them from happening in the first place.
One common methods of pressure ulcer prevention is the use of specially designed mattresses and cushions. As you will read below, these products are meant to relieve pressure on areas where sores are likely to develop, keeping those who spend a lot of time in bed—for example, nursing home residents who are sick or struggle with mobility—safe and healthy.
Bedsore Prevention Mattresses
There are a variety of special mattresses designed to help reduce the amount of pressure between a person’s body and the bed surface. These mattresses are constructed using special materials and designs to enhance comfort and to better distribute weight.
These mattresses can be made of foam, gel foam, fibers, air columns, air pockets, water columns, or water pockets. Special mattresses are usually available in twin bed sizes but can be found in larger bed sizes if necessary.
Mattress Overlays and Pads for Preventing Bedsores
Mattress overlays are special mattress-sized cushions that usually consist of a plurality of air-filled or water-filled cells aligned side by side that are secured to one another to form the overlay. The overlay is then secured to a mattress. In this way, it provides additional support for whoever lays on it. The overlay distributes a person’s weight more evenly and is a very useful device when managing pressure ulcers.
Bed pads are another option. These are layers of padding materials that can be laid on top of a standard mattress. Like an overlay, the bed pad adds extra support and is better at distributing a person’s weight. Bed pads come in a variety of thicknesses, textures, and materials. The most common types of bed pads are foam pads with an egg-crate pattern. Bed pads can also be found with a lattice-work, or waffle, pattern, as well as a wavy pattern.
Mattress pads and overlays are typically cheaper than a full mattress, making them more budget-friendly options for both individuals and nursing facilities.
Pressure Ulcer Cushions
Chair cushions can be strapped into or onto chairs to provide extra comfort for those who spend much of their time sitting up or who need support as their bedsore heals. There are many different types of chair pads for managing pressure ulcers, including cushions consisting of arrays of adjustable air cells, air-channeling layers, gel foam-filled cushions, and molded foam cushions.
Some nursing home residents require a wheelchair to get around, and wheelchairs can be very uncomfortable to sit in for extended periods of time. Chair pads specifically designed for use in wheelchairs are available as well.
Common Characteristics of Special Mattresses and Cushions
There are quite a few desirable characteristics that many cushions and special mattresses have in common—for example, being made from materials that are water- and/or fluid-resistant, vapor impermeable, easily washable, flexible, capable of wicking body perspiration away from the body, and breathable.
The type of product that is best for your loved one depends on their medical needs, risk factors, and personal preferences. It is also important to clean and replace these products on a regular basis so they do not become dirty or worn out and lose their efficacy.
Other Forms of Pressure Relief That Nursing Homes Should Provide
The nursing home staff should assess every resident’s bedsore risk as soon as they enter the home and perform reassessments on a regular basis thereafter. Such an assessment may include conducting a physical examination of the resident, asking the resident and/or their family if they have had bedsores before, and reviewing medical records.
The results of screenings like these will tell the home what type of bedsore prevention strategies should be used, including whether a mattress or cushion might be helpful.
Nursing home staff should also be trained in:
- How—and how often—to reposition the residents. Individuals with limited mobility should not be left in the same position for more than a couple of hours.
- How to keep residents clean and dry, as moist spots can contribute to the development of pressure sores.
- How to spot early signs of pressure sores and take swift action to prevent the wound from getting worse.
Failure to perform any or all of these actions could constitute nursing home neglect and give you the right to take legal action.
Our Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Takes Bedsore Cases
If your loved one developed a pressure ulcer while living in a nursing home, it often points to a failure to follow basic care practices such as using proper mattresses and cushions to prevent bedsores. Your loved one deserved attentive and respectful care. Speaking with Illinois nursing home elder abuse attorneys can help you understand your options and take action.
Do not hesitate to speak to our nursing home abuse and neglect attorney about your family’s rights. Please contact The Rooth Law Firm as soon as possible so we can start evaluating your options.
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